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European Journal of Medicinal Plants 31(1): 17-23, 2020; Article no.EJMP.54785 ISSN: 2231-0894, NLM ID: 101583475 Ethnomedicinal Information of Selected Members of Vitaceae with Special Reference to Kerala State Rani Joseph1* and Scaria K. Varghese1 1Department of Botany, St. Berchmans College, Changanassery, Kottayam, Kerala, 686101, India. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Author RJ designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Author SKV managed the analyses of the study and the literature searches. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article information DOI: 10.9734/EJMP/2020/v31i130201 Editor(s): (1) Francisco Cruz-Sosa, Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Metropolitan Autonomous University, Iztapalapa Campus Av. San Rafael Atlixco, México. (2) Prof. Marcello Iriti, Professor of Plant Biology and Pathology, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Milan State University, Italy. Reviewers: (1) Francisco José Queiroz Monte, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brasil. (2) Aba-Toumnou Lucie, University of Bangui, Central African Republic. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sdiarticle4.com/review-history/54785 Received 09 December 2019 Accepted 13 February 2020 Original Research Article Published 15 February 2020 ABSTRACT An ethnobotanical exploration of selected Vitaceae members of Kerala state was conducted from September 2014 to December 2018. During the ethnobotanical surveys, personal interviews were conducted with herbal medicine practitioners, traditional healers, elder tribal people and village dwellers. Field studies were conducted at regular intervals in various seasons in different regions of Kerala. Some of the genus belonging Vitaceae have ethnomedicinal significance stated by herbal medicine practitioners and elder tribal persons. It is an urgent need for documenting these peculiar plant species before such valuable knowledge becomes inaccessible and extinct. Keywords: Ethnomedicine; Kerala; traditional healers; Vitaceae. 1. INTRODUCTION conditions. It has been estimated that out of 15000 higher plants occurring in India, of which India is rich in medicinal plants covering an 7500 are medicinally important. There are about extensive area with varying environmental 2500 plant species that have documented _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Joseph and Varghese; EJMP, 31(1): 17-23, 2020; Article no.EJMP.54785 Fig. 1. Study area-Kerala medicinal value, most of which grow in wild knowledge from tribal communities is most conditions, whereas only a few are cultivated [1]. important for future clinical studies leading to The traditional use of medicinal plants has been sustainable utilization of natural resources and to an ancient practice among human populations face the challenges of biopiracy and patenting for a long time with traditional knowledge or indigenous and traditional knowledge by others. information being transferred from generation to Besides the best of our knowledge, no generation. Ethnomedicinal surveys are ethnobotanical work of Vitaceae has been conducted to document the practice of herbal carried out in this area. Keeping these things in medicine among rural and ethnic communities. mind present study was proposed to document Such significant ethnobotanical surveys have ethnomedicinal knowledge of traditional healers gained interest among researchers for in Kerala, India. highlighting important plant species commonly used in various systems of healthcare. Vitaceae 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS members are identified as the most important ethnobotanical species and so suggested for 2.1 Study Area further evaluation to validate them scientifically and hence to use them as a source of The ethnobotanical study mainly focused on wild pharmaceutical industries. Therefore, validation plants of Vitaceae used by tribes in Kerala for of medicinal plants, prescribed by the tribal various medicinal purposes through communities and local healers is getting more questionnaires and consultations with very old interest among the researchers of plant-based and knowledgeable tribals. Of the collected drugs in recent years [2]. Therefore, it is urgent plants, twelve species are medicinal. The to explore and document this unique traditional detailed investigation underlines the potential of knowledge of the tribals, before it diminishes with ethnobotanical research and needs to document the knowledgeable persons. Further, traditional knowledge about the use of medicinal documentation of indigenous and traditional plants for the greater benefit of mankind. 18 Joseph and Varghese; EJMP, 31(1): 17-23, 2020; Article no.EJMP.54785 2.2 Data Collection processed, identified systematically and the names were confirmed with the help of standard Field trips ranging from five days in every month flora. of the year of the study. The interviews were conducted in the local language Malayalam. 2.4 Statistics Ethnomedicinal information included with the local name of the particular plant, parts used, The data statistics were done by using the medicinal uses, and methods of preparation and statistical softwarte to evaluate the univariate as mode of administration. The collected well as multivariate statistical analysis. ethnomedicinal information was recorded on field notebooks and plants were identified by using 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the Flora of the Presidency of Madras [3] and Flowering Plants of Kerala [4] etc. The The present study revealed that the tribes of information was collected from the informants Kerala were using twelve species of medicinally through semi-structured open-ended interviews important plants belonging to this family were with questionnaires. The medicinal plants used categorized into different groups. They are by village people, tribes are arranged shrubs, climbers, etc. These plant species were alphabetically. The consent of the tribals was documented in this study to be used by the tribal taken to share their vast knowledge about community for curing different ailments. Most Vitaceae members, they use to cure various medicinal plants even today are collected from diseases and then their experience in the field of the forest [5]. The continued commercial treatment, causes and symptoms of the ailments exploitation of these plants has destroyed many they treat, average number of patients they treat species in their natural habitat. per year, parts of the plants used and other Traditional healers are using these plants to cure components added during the combination drug diseases related to stomach pain, skin diseases, formulations were noted down. This work is snakebites, wounds, cough, and cold, diabetes, mainly based on the documentation of asthma and worms [6]. The plant material is ethnomedicinal, domestic and cultural utilization employed in the form of decoctions, extracts, of some plants by the Kerala state. Field trips pastes, juice, powder and sometimes in were made to villages within the study area. combination with other parts of the same or Information regarding the common and other different plants. During the survey, it was also uses of some plant species for various learned that traditional knowledge regarding ethnomedicinal and cultural purposes was also ethnomedicine is declining as there is no proper investigated. The vernacular name of the documentation. The knowledge is passed down described species was also of interest. Standard from generation to generation only through kinds of literature and floras were consulted for verbal communication. The blooming of the their correct identification. The data obtained traditional medicine industry results in increasing were organized and tabulated showing botanical demand for medicinal plant products. Tribals of names, common names, vernacular or tribal Kerala use Vitaceae members for various names, uses and plant parts used. diseases. This work is mainly to protect our Ethnomedicinal information was gathered from future planet and generation there is a need to all categories of traditional vaidyas, local healers, document this vital information and also create elder persons and the person having a thorough awareness for the biodiversity conservation of knowledge of traditional practices. The this particular area and the proper use of this ethnobotanical information of Vitaceae gathered flora. The diverse pattern of different parts of from one place was confirmed by different medicinal plants reflected greater possession of communities of village people and tribals in indigenous knowledge regarding their healthcare different ethnic groups in different places of practices by the people. investigation. The survey revealed that tribal people used 2.3 Plant Material various parts of the plants as ethnomedicines. Most of the medicinal plant parts are consumed All the Vitaceae members collected from the field after processes like macerating, squeezing, are at the reproductive stage. A field sheet was grinding, blending, soaking or boiling and some recorded with the collector's name, vernacular of them are taken as raw. Some plants are name, local name, and other parameters. The applied externally to different body parts for cuts prepared herbarium specimens were dried, and wounds, scabies, joint pain, piles, skin 19 Joseph and Varghese; EJMP, 31(1): 17-23, 2020; Article